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Vodka/Story
'Fondness Story' i. Change The country my Master Attendant lived in was a country that loved its alcohol. To the country’s people, their particular spirit was their national beverage, and they drank like their lives depended on it. My Master Attendant had the easy-going and carefree temperament typical of Northerners. He always wore a smile guaranteed to brighten anybody’s day, and was as warm and bright as the summer sun in this icy land. Life for us was initially ordinary, and yet, it was something like the picturesque storybook ending of a fairy tale. After a hard day’s work, we would sit in a bar or a warm house, sharing drinks with close friends and relatives, dreaming of the bright and cheery future our labors would bring. And just like a fairy tale, those halcyon days were brought to an end by some truly unpleasant deeds, indeed. Disasters gave rise to shortages in resources and food, and the people grew distraught and frustrated. The decision of the nobility to raise taxes and further reduce the supply of food in these troubled times was, for the common folk, akin to an order for their execution. Master Attendant’s parents had passed away much earlier, and his only remaining family was his younger sister, no more than a child. He had always worked hard to make life comfortable for his sister. However, now that the country was trapped in the throes of starvation, he was no longer able to ensure his sister had enough to eat, no matter how hard he worked. The frail child’s sweet temper and precocious demeanor did not protect her from the cruel ravages of nature. Although the hunger and cold could be endured, disease was not something a weak and starving child could shake off without medicine or treatment. I still remember how she looked whenever she gently grabbed onto my hand and called me big sister. I still remember the smile on her face the one time she decided to share her sweets, a true rarity at the time, with me. Yet, even then she lived in constant pain, and her condition was deteriorating with every passing day. And there was no possible way I could forget the day she passed away. Master Attendant, who always had a smile on his face, was no longer able to maintain his stoic image, breaking down and crying himself hoarse while hugging the small, emaciated body to his own. “Big bro, thanks… for taking care… of me…” Her small hand had gently grabbed my finger, and she smiled a smile just as warm and lovely as her brother’s. Then her eyes closed, and the man sobbing by her side became inconsolable, crying and screaming in crazed anguish. I let him have his space, and as the atmosphere in the house was stifling and crushing, I stepped outside and stared into the grey sky. When Master Attendant emerged some time later, her body grasped tightly in his arms, the heavy, choking atmosphere remained. Master Attendant, who always had a smile for everyone, now wore a somber, unreadable expression. He turned to look at me. “Vodka. This country, as it is right now, is unjust, and unreasonable. I intend to change that. Come with me. I will show you a new future.” I did not even pause to consider his words and immediately took hold of the hand he held out towards me. ii. A Beginning The spark of revolution ignited a blaze in the hearts of the people of this land that quickly became an uncontrollable inferno. In the single instant the first man had raised his fist in defiance, a roar of sorrow and anger in his throat, the government of the country was destined to be annihilated. The revolution occurred with surprising ease, and little blood was spilt. Most of the population had had enough and willingly joined the revolution. Tightly sealed city gates were unlocked and thrown open by the masses behind their protection. There was no need to sacrifice lives for the cause, nor was there any need for men who were once brothers to turn on each other. In light of these events, the crushing atmosphere of despair began to lift, and the spirits of the people were filled with hope for a brighter tomorrow. I recall one particular incident, when the revolutionary army had set up camp for the night, and the men gathered around the fire. With roast meats and fiery alcohol to ward away the cold, they dreamed of the bright and cheery future the revolution would bring, once the country was liberated. The fires had colored everyone’s faces a ruddy orange, and they seemed especially warm and friendly. As everyone drank and grew merry, I couldn’t help joining my comrades, and drank more than my fair share as well. I don’t remember much after that, though I did hear from my comrades a day or two later that I’d managed to drink myself blind. According to them, I was completely unrecognizable when I was drunk. In a drunken stupor, I had forced them to sing their bawdy and coarse folk songs, dancing wildly and swearing incoherently. The way they described me was unthinkable - I couldn’t believe I was such an unpleasant and abusive drunkard. Still, my comrades and friends had all said the same thing, and also seemed to treat me with uncharacteristic familiarity afterward. I don’t think they were lying. Even though their knowing smiles pissed me off a little, I was unable to stop myself from grinning a bit, too. When we were victorious, perhaps things could go back to the way they were before. iii. An Ending The wildfire created by the flame of revolution quickly incinerated the rotten and corrupt rulers. We had stepped through the gates into a world we could never have imagined entering. Milk, badly needed by the starving children of the country, had been used to fill entire bathtubs, all the better to allow the highborn ladies to keep their skin soft and supple. Platters of exquisitely prepared dishes had been thrown into the trash by nobles who had never worked a day in their lives for reasons as petty as the chef having used slightly too much sugar. The nobility had become intoxicated by luxury and greed. And now it was time for the “commoners” to provide a rude awakening from their blissful dreams. I looked at their frightened and angry faces and could not help wondering if these people thought of us as the villains, disrupting their peaceful and happy lives. The fighting in the capital was not as brief and easy as it had been in the other cities. The corruption that had wormed its way into the heart of the country was strongest here. They fought as desperately as cornered rats. However, their defeat was already all but guaranteed, and nothing they did could change that fact. For the time being, we let those nobles who surrendered to us go. However, other groups of nobles refused to admit their wrongdoing. Unwilling to abandon their pride, they refused to surrender, and fought us to their last breath. Andre spread his wings, pushing off gently and firmly from his perch on my shoulder. High in the sky, his sharp eyes could track every inch of land in the capital. We only needed to follow him, and we would find the remnants of the nobles’ forces. It did not take long for us to discover the hiding place of the remaining nobles. Andre circled the location a few more times, before fluttering down to my side. He rubbed his head affectionately against my cheek while I stroked his neck. The nobles were imprisoned. Amongst those who were locked up was someone not human. She, like her master, was dressed in exquisitely embroidered clothing, and was as beautiful as crystals or gems behind a glass display case. She was not the type of person you could raise a hand against. Yet, at the same time, she seemed… …fragile. Weak. Master Attendant did not like harming the innocent. Even when faced with these nobles who had brought the country and its people to ruin, he refused to hurt them, even though their actions could easily be seen as wicked and evil. He addressed those who followed him: “We only wish to bring change to this country. We will not massacre those who offer no resistance. Everyone has the right to live in peace.” There was no way such words could placate the emotions of the masses who had nothing left but their anger and vengeance. I stared into the eyes of our comrades, saw the fury in them, and I knew that they would never forgive the nobility, even if they were innocent. We had spent far too long at the sides of our comrades. Perhaps the occasional merriment and happiness we shared had made me forget the extent of the fury buried in their hearts. Nevertheless, Master Attendant silently gestured at me from behind his back, and I understood what he wanted me to do. The crimes and suffering had been brought about by those in power. Yet, there were others who enjoyed the benefits of these crimes without having orchestrated them. Without attracting the attention of my fellow comrades, I quietly made my way to the prison the nobles were being held in. However, the scene that greeted me when I reached their cells was a tragedy beyond belief. Unwilling to accept the new leadership and too proud to bow to a new ruler, the nobles had made one final act of defiance, calculated to ensure the revolutionist forces forever bore the title of traitors for the sin of treason. The documents the revolutionists had prepared to request their confession, surrender, and transfer of power had been crumpled and shredded like trash. The documents now lay scattered around the room, pools of blood seeping into the paper and mixing with the ink. As I unlocked the door to the cell, a thick odor of rust and iron filled my nostrils. Suddenly, movement. The girl attempted to hide behind the pile of slowly cooling corpses. She must have been terrified. I’m sure she wanted to leap at me and rip out my throat, yet her fear and terror simply caused her to shudder haplessly behind her Master Attendant’s body, staring at me with blood red pupils filled with hatred and vengeance. I glanced at the corpses on the floor and could not help wrinkling my brow. Was… was this really the change Master Attendant and I wanted to bring about…? My gaze met with that of the trembling young girl’s for a split second. She stood up, biting her lower lip, her fingers white with strain, staring fixedly at me. I opened my mouth to call out to her, but swallowed my words, and decided to remain silent. If I had told her I had come to free all of them, she probably would have thought I was mocking her. Master Attendant’s comrades had intended to spill the blood of the nobles to wash away their own pain. However, Master Attendant believed that although these nobles led lavish and luxurious lives supported by heinous crimes, they did not deserve death for their actions. He had directed me to free them in secret. Nobody could have known that they would resort to such bloody methods to display their own fury and vengeance. I turned and left. I did not lock the door to that accursed room. iv. Departure We had forged bonds as comrades based on shared ideals and had seen sacrifice due to the clash of ideals. However, power blinded the eyes of men, turning them on one another, bringing them to kill dear friends whom they had fought alongside. Master Attendant never had reason to suspect or doubt the men who fought with him, and so he had drunk the poisoned alcohol they gave him, never even having the time to realize he was betrayed before he died. I held his warm corpse to my chest and gazed up at the men surrounding him. I knew each and every face – comrades who had fought alongside us – yet they were completely unfamiliar and alien to me. Power and money corrupt the human soul. Under their dual influence, few could hold on to their ideals. Although Master Attendant was able to resist their temptations, he did not guard against the possibility that his friends would be seduced by their siren call. As I gazed at Master Attendant’s closed eyes, I realized my fingers were trembling. In that instant, I understood how Master Attendant had felt when he held his sister’s body. And I also understood how that Food Soul had felt that bloody day, gritting her teeth and holding back her tears as she knelt behind her Master Attendant’s corpse. She wasn’t trembling out of fear. It was the self-loathing of having someone dear to you pass away, and being unable to take revenge for them. Was…. Was this… the change… we dreamt of…? Is… this the future…. We wanted…? Carrying his body, I left this land he had loved so deeply. They did not attempt to stop me from leaving, and I was able to bury him beside his younger sister. Still, where could I go? I no longer had a goal, a purpose or a home I belonged to. v. Vodka Vodka was born in a country covered in ice and snow. When natural disaster struck, the arrogance and excess of the nobility became impossible to ignore. Inevitably, the common folk clashed with the nobility, and a revolution was born. The revolutionist forces conquered city after city, until finally, only the capital was left. It was almost laughable that so many nobles in the capital seemed completely unaware of the situation outside the city walls. They threw lavish balls and wild parties while waiting for their impending destruction. It has to be said, the most inspiring aspect of the nobility was their pride and stubbornness, even in the face of certain death. What happened next was never officially recorded. Still, others were able to gather some idea of what happened from rumors and informal records. Some people said the nobles had been slaughtered by the revolutionists for refusing to submit to the leadership of the revolution. Others said the nobility had committed suicide to keep their pride intact. Still, regardless of what people said, these matters were no more than a footnote in the pages of history. Rather, the revolutionists that took control after the fall of the nobility did not last long either. Power and money blinded them, and they fell upon one another. A period of infighting passed, and it became clear that the country was proceeding down the same path as it had under the leadership of the nobility. Leadership is a complex and tricky matter. In the hands of cowards and backstabbers, the country was torn apart entirely within a few years. Vodka first met B-52 while B-52 was tracking a Fallen Angel to its nest. Alone in the wilderness surrounding B-52’s destination, Vodka’s eyes had lost their shine. She merely stared ahead, seeing nothing. As B-52 moved to enter the nest of the Fallen Angel, the silent watcher suddenly seemed to wake, stretching out her hand to block his way. “You can’t go in like this.” B-52 stared at her questioningly. “This is my desire. I wish to understand human suffering. Someone told me, I would find my answer here.” “How could this place hold that kind of answer?” “Then where should I find it?” “…You won’t find it anywhere.” “You weren’t able to find the answer you wanted either?” “…” B-52 did not mean to mock her. He merely declared what he observed. In his eyes, Vodka and he were no different from each other. Vodka lowered her hand. No longer blocking B-52’s way, she stared at her palms, suddenly remembering the day she had reached out to that outstretched arm. “Master Attendant… what exactly was the future you dreamed of…?” In a small town in Nevras, a rumor began circulating. This particular rumor concerned a bar in the back-alleys of the town. According to the rumor, there was a special seat in the bar with a small drawer. Within the drawer was a piece of paper. If you wrote your heart’s desire on the piece of paper, someone would help you fulfill your wish. The chimes on the door rang out as Vodka strode into the bar filled with the heady scent of wine and alcohol. The hawk on her shoulder, as if recognizing the scent of the famous beverage from the country of his birth, began to cry excitedly. She wore a subtle smile on her face. Even if she never saw the future her Master Attendant dreamed of, she was still able to enjoy a cup of the alcohol she loved, as she had done so many years before. One out of two wasn’t bad. “Vodka, on the rocks. Thanks.” Category:Food Soul Story